# Tropical cyclones in 2003

During 2003, tropical cyclones formed within seven different tropical cyclone basins, located within various parts of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. During the year, a total of 129 systems formed with 85 of these developing further and were named by the responsible warning centre. The strongest tropical cyclone of the year was Cyclone Inigo, which was estimated to have a minimum barometric pressure of 900 hPa (26.58 inHg) and was tied with Cyclone Gwenda for being the most intense recorded cyclone in the Australian region in terms of pressure, with the possible exception of Cyclone Mahina. So far, 26 Category 3 tropical cyclones formed, including six Category 5 tropical cyclones formed in 2003, tying 2021. The accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) index for the 2003 (seven basins combined), as calculated by Colorado State University was 833 units.
Tropical cyclone activity in each basin is under the authority of an RSMC. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is responsible for tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic and East Pacific. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) is responsible for tropical cyclones in the Central Pacific. Both the NHC and CPHC are subdivisions of the National Weather Service. Activity in the West Pacific is monitored by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Systems in the North Indian Ocean are monitored by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The Météo-France located in Réunion (MFR) monitors tropical activity in the South-West Indian Ocean. The Australian region is monitored by five TCWCs that are under the coordination of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). Similarly, the South Pacific is monitored by both the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) and the Meteorological Service of New Zealand Limited. Other, unofficial agencies that provide additional guidance in tropical cyclone monitoring include the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC).

## Global conditions and hydrological summary

The ENSO in this year was mostly neutral.

## Systems
### January
### March

March was the most inactive month of 2003, with 6 tropical cyclones forming around this month.

### December
## Global effects

| Season name | Areas affected | Systems formed | Named storms | Damage (USD) | Deaths |
| 2003 Atlantic hurricane season | Florida, Bermuda, Azores, British Isles, Gulf Coast of the United States, Southeastern United States, Yucatán Peninsula, Texas, Windward Islands, Jamaica, Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Leeward Islands, Eastern Canada, Oklahoma, Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic States, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, East coast of the United States, Atlantic Canada, Newfoundland, Iceland, Europe, Central America, Hispaniola, Haiti | 21 | 16 | $4.42 billion | 93 |
| 2003 Pacific hurricane season | Southwestern Mexico, Baja California Peninsula, Sonora, California, Hawaii, Sinaloa, Arizona | 17 | 16 | $129 million | 23 |
| 2003 Pacific typhoon season $^3$ | Caroline Islands, Philippines, Mariana Islands, Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Laos, Russian Far East, Alaska, Thailand, Cambodia, South Korea, North Korea | 45 | 21 | $6.44 billion | 362 |
| 2003 North Indian Ocean cyclone season | Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, East India, Bangladesh, Northeastern India, Thailand, Malaysia, Maldives, Somalia, Indonesia | 7 | 0 | $163 million | 364 |
| 2002–03 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season $^2$ | Mozambique, Tanzania, Malawi, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rodrigues | 10 | 8 | $6.65 million | 169 |
| 2003–04 South-West Indian Ocean cyclone season $^3$ | Madagascar, Mauritius, Rodrigues, Réunion | 4 | 4 | None | None |
| 2002–03 Australian region cyclone season $^2$ | Western Australia, Eastern Indonesia, Top End, Kimberley, Queensland, Papua New Guinea, Cocos (Keeling) Islands | 8 | 8 | $13 million | 60 |
| 2003–04 Australian region cyclone season $^3$ | Papua New Guinea, Queensland | 2 | 2 | None | None |
| 2002–03 South Pacific cyclone season $^2$ | Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Tokelau, American Samoa | 12 | 7 | $16.876 million | 20 |
| 2003–04 South Pacific cyclone season $^3$ | Solomon Islands, Fiji, Tonga | 3 | 0 | None | None |
| Worldwide | (See above) | 129 | 85 | $11.19 billion | 1,082 |
* ↑ The sum of the number of systems and fatalities in each basin will not equal the number shown as the total. This is because when systems move between basins, it creates a discrepancy in the actual number of systems and fatalities.